From Rubble to Restoration: Convoy Brings Hope to Asheville
After Hurricane Helene swept through the southeast United States, millions of people were left with their homes, businesses, and lives in rubble. Convoy of Hope was on the ground in the immediate aftermath, distributing relief supplies and providing for the basic needs of families.
During the holiday season later that year, Convoy hosted multiple events — distributing turkeys, toys, and groceries to families still reeling from the storm.
Nearly a year later, life has not returned to normal in Asheville, North Carolina. The town was all but swept away by intense floodwaters. Once-beautiful landscapes are now unrecognizable. Many homes are still not livable.
Convoy is still working in the area today through our U.S. program, serving all six states affected by Hurricane Helene. Just a few weeks ago, Convoy sent a Field Team in partnership with the Asheville Dream Center to help build a home for a woman who lost hers in the storm.
This woman didn’t want to return to her home after the hurricane. The devastation was incredibly traumatic for her. But throughout the significant progress on the rebuild, she has visited the site several times, always with a smile on her face.
“Thank you to Convoy of Hope. Thank you guys for showing up. Thank you for your dedication,” said Jonathan Holt, the Disaster Relief Coordinator at Asheville Dream Center.
While in Asheville, the team also helped pack over 4,000 bags of groceries for Convoy’s Children’s Summer Feeding program. These groceries will ensure kids are fed, even when they’re out of school.
This summer, Convoy will distribute more than 150,000 bags of groceries to families all over the Southeast, and also in Los Angeles. These are kids who usually get free lunch at school but go without food over the summer or on weekends during the school year. With the groceries and snacks provided by Convoy, these kids have food to eat at home.
The team even packed an additional 500 bags, which they distributed door-to-door to families in the area.
Fellowship Asheville, another Convoy partner, runs a food pantry where families can stock up on kid-friendly food for weekends. One family comes in with two little boys. The boys get their own baskets, and they are so excited when they see cereal bars and Goldfish crackers. When they’re at Fellowship, their parents don’t have to tell them to put their favorite snacks back because they can’t afford them. Everything is free, so the boys can pick out whatever they want.
“To see their smiling faces each week is really sweet,” said Amy Hinch, the Connections Director at Fellowship Asheville.
The work is far from over for communities devastated by Hurricane Helene last fall, but Convoy is there to provide support, hope, and a helping hand.
